diff --git a/doc/release-process.md b/doc/release-process.md
index 93a8e8362..cde355287 100644
--- a/doc/release-process.md
+++ b/doc/release-process.md
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ Check that there are no surprising performance regressions:
 
 Ensure that new performance metrics appear on that site.
 
+Update `src/chainparams.cpp` nMinimumChainWork with information from the getblockchaininfo rpc.
+
 ### Protocol Safety Checks:
 
 If this release changes the behavior of the protocol or fixes a serious
diff --git a/src/chainparams.cpp b/src/chainparams.cpp
index aa346f954..4aa9f8d6b 100644
--- a/src/chainparams.cpp
+++ b/src/chainparams.cpp
@@ -106,6 +106,9 @@ public:
         consensus.vUpgrades[Consensus::UPGRADE_SAPLING].nActivationHeight =
             Consensus::NetworkUpgrade::NO_ACTIVATION_HEIGHT;
 
+        // The best chain should have at least this much work.
+        consensus.nMinimumChainWork = uint256S("0x00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000281b32ff3198a1");
+
         /**
          * The message start string should be awesome! ⓩ❤
          */
@@ -268,6 +271,9 @@ public:
         consensus.vUpgrades[Consensus::UPGRADE_SAPLING].nActivationHeight =
             Consensus::NetworkUpgrade::NO_ACTIVATION_HEIGHT;
 
+        // The best chain should have at least this much work.
+        consensus.nMinimumChainWork = uint256S("0x00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001d0c4d9cd");
+
         pchMessageStart[0] = 0xfa;
         pchMessageStart[1] = 0x1a;
         pchMessageStart[2] = 0xf9;
@@ -317,6 +323,7 @@ public:
         fMineBlocksOnDemand = false;
         fTestnetToBeDeprecatedFieldRPC = true;
 
+
         checkpointData = (CCheckpointData) {
             boost::assign::map_list_of
             (0, consensus.hashGenesisBlock)
@@ -380,6 +387,9 @@ public:
         consensus.vUpgrades[Consensus::UPGRADE_SAPLING].nActivationHeight =
             Consensus::NetworkUpgrade::NO_ACTIVATION_HEIGHT;
 
+        // The best chain should have at least this much work.
+        consensus.nMinimumChainWork = uint256S("0x00");
+
         pchMessageStart[0] = 0xaa;
         pchMessageStart[1] = 0xe8;
         pchMessageStart[2] = 0x3f;
diff --git a/src/consensus/params.h b/src/consensus/params.h
index 38cf65fb6..c21607046 100644
--- a/src/consensus/params.h
+++ b/src/consensus/params.h
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ struct Params {
     int64_t AveragingWindowTimespan() const { return nPowAveragingWindow * nPowTargetSpacing; }
     int64_t MinActualTimespan() const { return (AveragingWindowTimespan() * (100 - nPowMaxAdjustUp  )) / 100; }
     int64_t MaxActualTimespan() const { return (AveragingWindowTimespan() * (100 + nPowMaxAdjustDown)) / 100; }
+    uint256 nMinimumChainWork;
 };
 } // namespace Consensus
 
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 311b35aae..cc8571b38 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -1740,7 +1740,9 @@ bool IsInitialBlockDownload()
         return false;
     if (fImporting || fReindex)
         return true;
-    if (fCheckpointsEnabled && chainActive.Height() < Checkpoints::GetTotalBlocksEstimate(chainParams.Checkpoints()))
+    if (chainActive.Tip() == NULL)
+        return true;
+    if (chainActive.Tip()->nChainWork < UintToArith256(chainParams.GetConsensus().nMinimumChainWork))
         return true;
     bool state = (chainActive.Height() < pindexBestHeader->nHeight - 24 * 6 ||
             pindexBestHeader->GetBlockTime() < GetTime() - nMaxTipAge);
@@ -1758,7 +1760,7 @@ void CheckForkWarningConditions()
 {
     AssertLockHeld(cs_main);
     // Before we get past initial download, we cannot reliably alert about forks
-    // (we assume we don't get stuck on a fork before the last checkpoint)
+    // (we assume we don't get stuck on a fork before finishing our initial sync)
     if (IsInitialBlockDownload())
         return;